Mahela dominates third day's play

Vandort scores 4th Test century:

Elmo Rodrigopulle

Skipper Mahela Jayawardena's record breaking batting feat where he went past Sanath Jayasuriya's most number of Test runs, his century and then when he lowered Graham Gooch's record and Michael Vandort's century were the highlights of the third day's play in the Second Test against England at the Singhalese Sports Club ground, yesterday.

When play ended on the third day, Sri Lanka were 379 for 4 wickets a lead of 28 with Mahela Jayawardena unbeaten on 167 and Jehan Mubarak on 2. Chamara Silva who was struggling for form was out one short of a fifty just before the close when Steve Harmisson got one to climb and take the top of the bat with the ball flying to Ravi Bopara at gully. They put on 128 for the fourth wicket. Jayawardena showed great patience and courage to bat through the whole day.

When play begins on the fourth day, the Lankans must add more urgency to their batting and make quick runs and get a formidable lead, batting for at least the first two sessions and then putting on the pressure and making life miserable for the England batsmen.

With the cracks on the wicket likely to open up and with the wicket showing signs of taking spin, Muttiah Muralitharan could get his wicket taking act going. How Jayawardena would be wishing he had another spinner to support Muralitharan.

The Test run scoring record belonged to Sanath Jayasuriya - 6973 runs in 110 games. In making the three figure mark, Jayawardena went ahead and the record now richly belongs to him.

With a lot more cricket ahead of him, Jayawardena could pile on more runs. Jayawardena broke the records in 93 Tests. When he lofted Monty Panesar for six over mid off to reach 150, he also hugged the record of making the most number of runs in a single venue.

The record belonged to former England captain Graham Gooch who made 2115 at Lords. Jayawardena went past Gooch on his home ground the SSC. It was his determination and perseverance and considering that he has to shoulder the responsibilities as captain, his achievement becomes all the more great

The overnight not out batsmen Michael Vandort 50 and Mahela Jayawardena 43 continued to make good progress on a wicket that once again was a batsman's dream. There was no pace, hardly any movement and bounce and if there was spin only slowly. Makes one wonder what good could come out if wickets of this nature are continued to be prepared.

Batsmen although they enjoy their stay, are unable to give free rein to their strokeplay, while bowlers bowl their heart out without any success to show. A good batsman's ability and capability are shown when striking and making big scores on tricky wickets and not on placid ones.

On a good wicket, a bowler's brilliance is shown if he is able to get wickets. It was a sad reflection on the England bowlers that they could not lure the Sri Lankan batsmen to their demise.

It becomes heartwarming to batsmen and heartbreaking to the bowlers. A sporty wicket is one that gives the batsmen and bowlers equal chance. And when cricket is played on sporty wickets spectators too enjoy the game.

And to add to the bowlers woes was the poor catching by the England fielders, whose lazy movements deprived them of taking the half chances offered by the Lankan batsmen.

It was admirable the manner in which Vandort and Jayawardena set about building the innings after they lost the early wickets of Upul Tharanga and Kumar Sangakkara for 22 on the previous day. Realising that the wicket was not conducive to strokemaking, they showed immense patience and waited for the loose balls that came their way to make runs or go for the boundaries.

They frustrated the England bowlers and batted through the entire first session to add 95 runs and take their partnership to 178 and enjoy lunch at 200 for 2 with Vandort on 106 having completed his 4th Test century in 180 balls, 284 minutes with 15 fours. At 98 he drove Kevin Pietersen through the covers to reach a richly deserved century.

After lunch and with the score on 248, Michael Vaughan took the second new ball and immediately Ryan Sidebottom got one to dip into Vandort and have him plumb in front for a well compiled 138 after one run was added to the total. Thus ended a massive 227 run stand for the third wicket. Vandort received a standing ovation on his way back to the pavilion.

A few minutes later Jayawardena completed his 20th Test hundred when he glided a delivery from Stuart Broad to the leg. It was a captain's knock, full of discipline, character and lovely stroke play.

ENGLAND 1ST 
INNINGS 351
(A. Cook 81, M. Vaughan 87, 
P. Collingwood 52,M. Prior 79, 
M. Muralitharan 5-116)

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS
(Overnight 105-2):
M. Vandort lbw b Sidebottom  			138
U. Tharanga c Prior b Sidebottom  		 10
K. Sangakkara c Prior b Sidebottom 		  1
M. Jayawardene not out       			167
C. Silva c Bopara b Harmison 			 49
J. Mubarak not out   	                          2
Extras: (b5, lb6, w1)                            12
TOTAL (for four wickets)                     	379

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-20 (Tharanga), 2-22 (Sangakkara),
 3-249 (Vandort), 4-377 (Silva).
BOWLING: Sidebottom 25-3-72-3 (w1), Broad 25-4-63-0,
 Harmison 28-8-67-1, Panesar 32-4-111-0, Pietersen 12-0-43-0, 
Collingwood 1-1-0-0, Bopara 5-2-12-0.